Chapter 1: Chapter 1

The atmosphere looked dark. The forest scent hits my nose instantly, making me scan my surroundings in every direction.

Oh my God, I don't know where I am right now. I should be on a plane heading to my future home.

So why did I end up in this strange place?

"They should have really sent him into exile."

A deep voice echoes, making me jump. The voice is clear, but I still can't pinpoint its source.

"What's wrong with me? Isn't it just a matter of time?"

Another sentence guides my steps toward the source of the voice. This time, I see a group of people. But once again, where is this? Why does it feel so different from the place I usually know?

It's like a scene from a fantasy movie – a king's throne with chairs lined up in front of it.

"This isn't normal. How can he become the heir of this nation's clan when he hasn't even had his awakening yet?"

Someone says this in front of their king, who sits with authority on his throne.

They seem to be discussing something. I wonder what I'm doing here, actually.

I'm actually standing quite far from them, but their echoing voices make their conversation clear.

"So, is all of this my fault, huh? Forget your silly idea of banishing me. In the end, you will have to bow to me."

"Alpha."

The weighty voice echoes, causing the commotion in front of him to fall silent. Everyone goes quiet and bows except for a young man who meets the king's gaze with defiance.

"Why? Don't tell me you agree with their idea," he says to the king again.

"It's your punishment for the chaos you've caused, not to attain your awakening," the king replies, making the young man smirk.

"Nonsense," he mutters.

"You haven't even found your mate yet," a woman from another direction chimes in, and for some reason, all the faces in front of me look blurry. I can't see them clearly.

"You can find your mate in your exile, my dear brother," she continues, and after that, I scream when someone pats my shoulder hard, drawing their attention to me.

I slowly open my eyes, and the clean white ceiling becomes my first sight.

I start stretching my arms before pulling the blanket with the teddy bear design and roll over to my side.

It's still 9 in the morning, well, it's getting late, but I'm seriously feeling tired and sleepy.

I pause for a moment, still wondering if this is a dream.

My body feels exhausted after the long journey from my hometown to New York. That's why I decided to laze around in this comfy bed. But my phone ringing forces me to get up and walk toward the sound.

I reach for my phone in my bag, which keeps blaring loudly. Darn it! Why did I forget to adjust the volume?

"Hello, Mom."

"Hi, sweety. How's your first morning in New York?"

"Not too bad," I reply, walking back to the bed and leaning against the headboard.

"Are you still angry?" My mom asks, and I can clearly hear the sadness in her voice. Of course, I'm still mad at her. She sent me to New York without even asking or discussing it with me.

Because of this, I had to leave my school, my friends, and, of course, someone very special.

I try to let it go. After all, it's all done. I'm already in New York.

"No, Mom," I reply half-heartedly because I'm not sure how to answer.

"Sweety, I'm so sorry. I had to do it. It's for the best for you," she keeps saying the same words. I'm getting tired of it, but I choose to give in and follow her will. She's been saying this since I arrived in New York.

"I know, Mom," I reply resignedly, even though I strongly disagree with her belief that all of this is for my own good, at least according to her. It's definitely not for me, especially since I'm the one going through it.

I get up from my comfortable seat on the bed and walk over to my suitcase, which is right next to the white-painted wardrobe. I clutch my phone between my ear and shoulder, trying to listen to what my mom is saying on the other side, like listening to a recorded message that I've heard countless times.

"Are you listening to me, sweety?" she asks as I remain silent, just listening.

"Yes, I'm listening. I'll do well in school here, follow all the rules that Aunt Ana and Rex mentioned, and stay away from bad influences," I reply, repeating all the advice she gave. I'm a bit annoyed. If she's worried about me getting into trouble in the West, why didn't she just let me stay in Indonesia?

I pause for a moment and think. Well, that's not the only reason that makes me upset. One of them is leaving someone who's so important to me.

"Alright, then. I'll visit you at the end of the month. I miss you so much." Really? I'm not sure if she misses me. As far as I know, she's having a great time with her future husband in Dubai.

"Mom, I need to get ready. Rex wants me to take care of everything at my new school." I choose to ignore her words. I don't care whether she'll visit me or not.

"Okay, have fun, and love you," she says. After that, I decide to end the call without replying to her.

I place my phone on top of my suitcase and stare at it. For a moment, I'm silent. Then, I exhale heavily, trying to accept everything with an open heart because it's the only path I can choose.

I'm Aurely, moving to New York City at the tender age of seventeen, leaving my home country due to my mother's unilateral decision. I was born and raised in Indonesia, where my father, Dion, comes from. My father married my mother, Alice, who is from America, specifically New York. When I was little, I used to spend my school holidays visiting New York and meeting my mom's family. It was fun for a vacation, but not for living permanently.

In my opinion, I don't fit into Western culture, from their social norms to their way of life, and even their food, which doesn't suit my taste buds. Doesn't that prove that 99% of Indonesian genes flow in my blood? It's evident in my physical features - a petite frame, dark black hair, not too fair skin, and dark brown eyes.

I've inherited all of these from my father. I grew up in a small, happy family, and that all changed a year ago when my father passed away due to illness. Long story short, I couldn't stay there anymore because I didn't have any immediate family left, except for distant relatives, which was highly impractical for me to live with.

That's the reason my mother, Alice, relocated me to her home country. So, where's Alice? Of course, she's busy with her future husband in Dubai. She decided to marry a Middle Eastern man about two months ago. I've met him a few times; he's a nice and pleasant guy, but I find it hard to accept new people around me. So, I chose to stay in New York rather than accompany them to Dubai. It would be much harder for me, and I'd be alone there. Of course, my mother wouldn't leave me all alone; she entrusted me to Anna, her younger sister.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Lia."

That must be Rex, Anna's only child and a police officer by profession. He's eight years older than me.

"Are you awake?" he shouts, making me get up from my seat and walk to the door.

"I thought you were still asleep," he says, glancing at the watch on his wrist.

"I would be if Mommy hadn't called me. I'd probably still be asleep now," I reply, walking back to my bed and flopping onto the soft mattress.

"Hey, what are you doing? Get ready; we're going to check out your new school," Rex protests, folding his arms.

"Rex, I'm still jet-lagged. Can't we take care of everything tomorrow?"

"Lia, you start school the day after tomorrow, so get up and get ready now," he says, pulling my hand and pushing my back into the bathroom, which is in the same room as my bedroom. He's always acting like a kid and pushing me all the time, even though I just want to relax for today, or at least let me think about what I need to do in my new place.